The newspaper has used data compiled by estate agents Savills, whose criteria include the number of residents in good health and with managerial occupations and higher-level qualifications as well as the average house price.
Although there are some regular perennials in the list, such as York and Harrogate which always rank highly in similar surveys, several locations that have become increasingly fashionable post-pandemic have crept in. Guiseley, on the Leeds and Bradford border, is a more affordable option than nearby Ilkley with the same train links to the cities. Brough, near Hull, has excellent transport links and new housing. Yarm’s nearest conurbation is Middlesbrough, but the charms of the Georgian market town have put it on the radar of buyers.
9. Guiseley
Guiseley has been a beneficiary of increasing house prices further up the Wharfe Valley. A town in its own right, is has trains to Leeds and Bradford and is a short drive from Ilkley and Otley. The retail parks include an M&S Foodhall, and access to the Dales is convenient. Photo: Tony Johnson
10. Horsforth
Historically a town, now a west Leeds suburb but very popular with buyers, including young families. There are trains to the city and a good range of independent businesses. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal, with its towpath walks, is nearby Photo: Tony Johnson